The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which method ultrasound waves are emitted into a surrounding region (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by at least one ultrasonic sensor (3) of the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) in order to carry out a distance measurement, wherein an exhaust gas cloud (22) which is emitted into the surrounding region (9) by an exhaust system (11) of the motor vehicle (1) and at which the ultrasound waves are reflected is detected by the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (18, 19, 20, 21) of the motor vehicle (1), which at least one sensor is different from the ultrasonic sensor (3), and the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) is operated depending on the detection of the exhaust gas cloud (22).